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Suzanne B.

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2004 Hollywood Trip

Before

After

Yes! I want to work out with Debbie in Hollywood! Here's why!

I am 41 years old, and I started the Slim in 6 program (with the 6-Day Express Diet Plan) weighing in at 186.5 pounds with a whopping 43% body fat—ugh! By week 6 I was down 16.5 pounds! My ultimate goal of 145 pounds was still on the horizon, though. I continued with Slim in 6 and added the Slim Series. Now, at week 16 (two of those weeks I went on vacation and although I did not lose, I did not gain one pound!), I am 155 pounds and 20% body fat—yeah! I've been empowered for life, thanks to Beachbody!

Being overweight plagued me my whole life, probably due to my obsessive-compulsive eating habits. I constantly worried about how I looked and what people thought of my outward appearance. Fat people, in my mind, were not accepted as real people. Ridiculous, I know, but that's how I felt. As I reached my thirties I was less worried about what people thought. There were more "plus size" clothing stores to choose from, so I could cover up and act like I felt good. But truthfully, I always felt inferior and dreamed of being thin. I was somewhat active; I jogged, did aerobics, and lifted weights, but I was always about 20 to 30 pounds overweight. I could never lose the weight. My lack of self-control was my enemy.

I got pregnant in 2000, and even though I gained 40 pounds, I felt great! Being fat is beautiful when you're pregnant! My son Ethan was born via emergency C-section despite my intentions to have natural childbirth. The baby blues hit hard and to make matters worse, later that year Ethan was diagnosed with brain damage, cause unknown. My world suddenly collapsed and I did not care about my appearance whatsoever (my poor husband!). The surgery left my stomach sagging and I had no will to exercise. My weight soared to 198 pounds. When I looked at myself in the mirror (something I mostly avoided, along with photos), I could see that I was borderline obese (let's face it, I WAS obese!). My joints ached, my knees often buckled, I had back and leg pain, and I felt stiff whenever I got up from sitting. (Duh! I wasn't moving, except for carrying my son around!) Life had stopped for me. Aside from caring for my son, I had no desire to do ANYTHING but eat my sorrow away. I was unhealthy AND in pain. My son would turn 3 in April, and I needed to get healthy in order to carry him since he isn't able to walk or crawl. I needed help.

Enter the Slim in 6 program. When I first saw the infomercial, something about Debbie just jumped out at me. Could this be THE ONE? I had ordered so many other weight loss programs and I was fed up with my failures. I just didn't have the courage to set myself up for another failure. But I kept seeing the infomercial and I secretly looked it up on the Web. I read the Success Stories and was so inspired. Again, I thought to myself, could this be THE ONE program that could set me free and get me to my dream? For several weeks, Slim in 6 just might be THE ONE kept ringing in my ears. I finally told myself that I had to try one more time, my health depended on it—my son depended on it. "Six weeks," I told myself, "just commit six weeks of your life." I had nothing to lose but weight and the sadness I felt about how I had let myself go. With those thoughts, I finally ordered the program.

Well, as you read in the beginning, Slim in 6 was THE ONE! I did everything the program suggested. I started with the 2-Day Fast Formula and the 6-Day Express Diet Plan. I posted the calendar on the
wall in the food pantry and tracked my progress every day with weekly weigh-ins (and when I began seeing results, I couldn't keep myself from getting on the scale every day—never had getting on the scale been so exciting!). In the beginning, the workouts were extremely hard for me, but the desire to become healthy for my son and husband was strong and the motto to "Just Push Play" kept me motivated. Each week I consistently lost weight and all my pains began to disappear. I was so amazed at my progress!

The secret?! Well, I truly believe it is Debbie's enthusiastic workouts; they are hard, but attainable. She is definitely a workout machine ("one more set of eight," aghhhh!). Her word, "focus," echoes in my ears daily. Not just for the workouts, but for everything in my life. During the daily struggles I face with my son's disabilities I constantly hear Debbie's "focus," and instead of being overwhelmed with decisions, I just take one thing at a time.

The actual catalyst for starting Slim in 6 was a verse I read, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and self control" (2 Timothy 1:7). After reading this verse, I knew I didn't have to be afraid to try another program, that I would have the power to achieve my goals, and by succeeding I would have more love to give my family. Most importantly, I developed self-control over my life. Seeing the weight come off each week showed me that controlling my food choices and portions and making the decision to "Push Play" was indeed paying off!

I have since ordered Power 90 to augment the Slim Series (which I love!) to get me to my long-awaited dream . . . 145 pounds, or, might I dare to reach the 130s? Before, I might have wondered if I would make my ultimate goal, but with Beachbody's programs I can set new goals and there is no doubt that I won't achieve them . . . probably just in time for my real-life workout with Debbie! And if I don't get to go to Hollywood, well, that's okay, because I have her every day in my living room all to myself (sometimes my son will sit and watch while I work out, he loves Debbie too!). But truly, it would be a dream to work out, live and in person, with Debbie.

Thank you, Debbie and Beachbody, for helping me achieve my goals not only visibly on the outside, but by shedding the inside sadness as well. It's fun to wake up and know that everything in my closet fits! I am happier and healthier. Best of all, I am able to better take care of my son, and I once again take pride in my appearance. I can now be an inspiration to others by recommending a program that IS THE ONE!